Glass container inspecting apparatus



June 16, 1959 w. w. WOLFORD 2,390,786

GLASS CONTAINER INSPECTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WALLAcEWWoLFoRD June 16, 1959 w. w. WOLFORD GLASS CONTAINER INSPECTING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 22. 1957 lNV NTOR WALLACE filwouokn 41% W ATTQRN United States Patent assumes GLASS CONTAINER msrncrnsc srrsnsrus Wallace W. Wolford, Oakland, Calif, or to Owensllllnois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application October 22, 1951, Serial No. 691,759 3 Claims. c1. res-4s) for rapidly rotating them about their axes at an inspecting station where such articles have their advancing movement halted momentarily.

Another object is the provision in such rotating means of novel devices whereby said means may be readily adjusted as required by the diameter of the specific articles being inspected.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic or diagrammatic side elevational view of a handling and inspecting apparatus incorporating my invention. I v

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. 1

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of'Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 in detail sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the fixed mounting bracket.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the pivoted motor carry ing bracket.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, it is shown in conjunction with container inspecting apparatus comprising a series of cradles 15 supported on endless carriers 16 which bring the cradles in succession to inspecting stations 17 at each of which the cradles are held stationary momentarily while bottles or jars 18 resting thereupon are inspected for certain detectable defects. The bottles occupy recumbent. positions in the cradles and are rotatable freely therein about their axes. At one station the bottles or jars may be inspected to determine whether the neck is circular within certain limits and concentric with the body portion. At another station as: electronic device B may function to detect imperfections in annular areas of the 'bottom and adjacent areas of the side wall. Both of these inspections require rotation of the bottle or jar about its own axis and such must be fairly rapid if the inspecting step is to keep pace with normal production speeds.

My invention provides means for eliecting such rotation of the bottles or jars 18 and comprises @turbine-type air motor 19 which carries and drives a roll 20. This roll is designed for driving contact with a peripheral portion of the bottle or jar body to impart rapid rotary motion thereto. Air under pressure is supplied to the motor 19 through a conduit 21. Both the motor and roll 20 are 2,890,786 1C6 Patented June 16, 1959 I 2 movable between vertically spaced positions in the lower of which the roll has driving contact with the bottle or ar.

Such movement of the motor and roll is made possible through a structure comprising a movable or pivoted bracket 22 (Figs. 4, 5 and 7) formed with a split bearing 23 to accommodate a hub 24 which may be an integral part of the motor 19 lying between the latter and the roll 20. A lock screw 23 aids in securing the hub 24 within the split bearing. This pivoted bracket is a generally triangular flat plate provided at its upper end with a finger 25 and therebelow with a transverse horizontal opening 26 receiving a hinge'pin 27 which pivotally interconnects said bracket 22 and a fixed mounting bracket 28. This mounting bracket 28 (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) is generally inverted L-shaped and comprises a vertical leg 29 and horizontal body 30, theleg being slotted longitudinally or vertically to accommodate a portion of the pivoted bracket 22. The aforementioned hinge pin'27 has its ends mounted in ball bearings 31 which occupy opposed recesses 32 (Fig. 6) in the exterior faces of the mounting bracket 28. This mounting bracket 28 is supported upon one end of a horizontal carrier bar 33 which extends from one side of a vertically adjustable slide 34. By moving this slide 34 vertically, the operating position of the unit, including the previously described elements, can be varied as dictated by the dimensions of the particular bottles or jars being inspected. This bar 33 also is movable in the direction of its length relative to the slide 34 for the purpose of positioning the roll 20 at the desired point axially of the body of the bottles or jars. A lock screw 35 secures the slide and bar in the desired positions.

Movement of the motor and roll carrying bracket 22 to thereby bring the roll into contact with a bottle or jar is obtained bymeans of an air pressure actuated piston 36. This piston is mounted in a generally horizontal cylinder 37 formed in the mounting bracket 28. A spring plunger 38 coaxial with and in part mounted in an opening 39 in said piston functions as a cushion between the piston and the aforementioned finger 25 on .the movable bracket 22. Air under pressure is supplied to the closed end 40 of the cylinder through a conduit or pipe 41. Entry of air under pressure into the cylinder moves the piston away from the closed end 40 and through the medium of the spring plunger 38 moves the pivoted bracket '22. and lowers the rotating driving roll 20 into firm engagement with a preselected annular zone of the bottle-or jar. Below this cylinder 37 and at the opposite side of the pivot point is i a device for-regulably controlling the pressure of the roll upon the bottle or jar. This comprises a coil spring 42 and tubular housing or shell 43 both mounted in a recess in the lower part of thepivoted bracket. The closed end of the housing 43 abuts an adjustable set screw 44 by means of which the effectiveness of the spring may be regulated. This device yieldingly opposes movement of the pivoted bracket under influence of the air operated piston 36 and functions to return the bracket to its normal position. The set screw 44 just below the screw 44 operates as a stop to limit the maximum drop of the roll carryingv bracket 22. The. mode of operation of this apparatus is deemed to be abundantly clear from the foreducing air under pressure into the cylinder to operate the 10 2 39,330

piston.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, the last named means comprising a coil spring having one end engaging the bracket and a screw stop contacting the other end of 5 the spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PA'IENTS Magnusson Dec. 4, 1951 Weimont May 26, 1953 

